Tech Tip #98: Speed up MS Office with Quick Access Toolbar

As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each Tuesday, I’ll share one of those with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy!

Q: I tend to do the same actions over and over on my MS Office software. How do I create a customized tool bar with my favorite tools?

A: This one is going to improve the quality of your life immediately. It’s so simple, you’ll wish you’d known it months ago.

First, you need Office 2007 or later because earlier versions don’t include the Quick Access toolbar. It looks like this:

When you click the drop down arrow, you get the most popular actions–new, open, save, print, etc.

Check off all those you want to appear on the toolbar. Toward the bottom is a choice to have the QA toolbar above or below the ribbon. I choose below because I find it more easily there. If there are tools you use frequently you wish were included (for example, I use the strike through a lot in my writing), select ‘customize’ and go find it in the endless list.

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Image credit: How-to Geek

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.